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For Black History Month, Niagara Catholic is proud to showcase one of our own, George Bell, the first Black teacher in Niagara.
Bell was born and raised in St. Catharines, the descendent of freed or escaped slaves who arrived in Niagara as part of the Underground Railroad.
He grew up in the 1930s and 40s, and he and his brother both became exceptionally talented baseball players – so good they could have played in the professional league. However, their parents emphasized education ahead of athletics, and in the 1950s, the late John Belcastro, then a teacher at Notre Dame College School encouraged George to become a teacher.
Despite opposition to the idea of a Black person leading a classroom of students, George Bell took on that challenge. After attending Hamilton Teachers’ College, Bell became an elementary teacher at St. Nicholas Catholic Elementary School, Assumption Catholic Elementary School, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Elementary School, and P.K. Kerwin Senior Catholic Elementary School (now Saint Francis Catholic Secondary School).
In his years as a teacher, Bell was often expected to prove his teaching ability to inspectors looking to find fault with him, based only on the colour of his skin. George Bell was found to be an exceptional teacher and inspired many students to live their dreams. We are incredibly honoured to recognize George Bell during Black History Month.